


Succulently Sweet

by Purple_ducky00



Series: AU-gust prompts [28]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, F/M, M/M, Pining, implied past minor character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:07:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26262403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purple_ducky00/pseuds/Purple_ducky00
Summary: Tony Stark owns a flower shop. One day, a beautiful redhead comes in and buys a succulent. Tony can't get her out of his mind since.
Relationships: Harley Keener/Ned Leeds, James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nakia (Black Panther)/T'Challa, Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Tony Stark & Janet Van Dyne
Series: AU-gust prompts [28]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859422
Comments: 7
Kudos: 45





	Succulently Sweet

Tony runs a successful flower shop on the corner of 11th and Vine. He lives with his best friend and roommate, James Rhodes. Tony is a very friendly person, and he gets to know his regulars.

Steve always comes in once or twice a month to get a new plant. He tries so hard to keep the plants alive, but they always seem to die on him. Bucky and Sam are the new couple who moved in the apartment two blocks down. They like to surprise each other with a new plant or bouquet each week. Bruce buys a new plant almost weekly. Tony has been to his apartment/terrarium. It’s beautiful. Maria only comes in when she’s going on a date, which is once or twice a month. Pepper, Rhodey’s girlfriend, is liable to come in and chat with Tony while Rhodey’s still at work. Tony makes sure he has teabags available.

One day, a beautiful woman walks in. It’s hard for Tony to get a read on her. Wearing black tights with a loose T-shirt and her red hair pulled back in a bun, she isn’t exuding any unique vibes.

“Hi! How may I help you?” Tony greets her.

She barely looks at him and says, “I’d like a plant that’s easy to care for.”

Tony nods. He gets these people a lot. “Sure! Here we have some succulents, some cacti. This is an air plant that is basically self-sustaining. Do any of these look like something for which you are looking?” He gestures to the plants.

“I don’t know. Just something easy.”

Recommending her a succulent that requires weekly water, but won’t die if a month is forgotten, Tony isn’t surprised when she agrees and buys it immediately. Tony thanks her for her purchase and advises her to let him know if she would need anything else.

“Okay” is her response, and she leaves.

Tony doesn’t ask her for her name, but she paid by credit card. He notices the name Natasha Romanov on the card.

The next time she comes in, Tony asks her how her succulent is fairing. She seems surprised that he remembers her. He tells her he rarely forgets a face.

“And here I thought I might be special.” She grins. “I’m Natasha.”

“Tony. Nice to meet you. Can I help you with something else today?” Tony asks.

Natasha grills him on the best soil types for plants. Tony dutifully answers all her questions. She buys a pot of soil and leaves. He sighs. He doesn’t know why she gets him so flustered. He can usually talk to anyone.

“She’s cute.” Nakia, Tony’s only employee, peeks her head around the corner.

Tony catches himself nodding back at her. “She’s a client.”

Nakia just fixes him a look and gets back to assembling a bouquet. She’s getting married soon, and she wants to make her own with whatever scraps they have here. Tony did offer to make her a free one with whatever she wanted, but she wants to do this her way. Who is he to tell her no?

Jan flies a few days later. “Tones! Tones! I have a good job for you!” She shrieks. Running up to the counter, she bangs on the surface in front of her. “Two thousand centerpieces and one huge flower wall for a backdrop. How does that sound?”

Tony mentally counts everything up. “That sounds like a big job, but worth it. Do you have flower preferences?” He gets out his notebook to keep track of everything. “When do you need these by? Do you want samples to approve?”

“My show is in a month. The main colors are champagne and wine. I’m sure you know how to work around that. I trust you.” Jan kisses him on the cheek. “Bill me.” She calls as she runs out the door.

Tony figures out costing for the event. Two days before the show, he brings in his two sons and their friends to help make the centerpieces. He has done this several times before when he gets hired to make arrangements for weddings or galas. Six teenagers in all, they can get the flowers done quickly. Peter, Harley, Peter’s girlfriend MJ, Harley’s boyfriend Ned, Nakia’s fiancée’s younger sister Shuri, and a girl named Betty are seated around tables sorting flowers when Ms. Romanov walks in. She glances briefly at the kids then walks up to the counter.

“Wedding?” She asks.

Tony shakes his head. “Best friend’s fashion show. She trusts me with this – bad decision. My two sons and their friends are helping out.” He nods to the teens.

She nods. “Have fun. My friend says I need a new plant. Do you have any new succulents?”

Tony busies himself showing Natasha the new plants he got this month. He doesn’t notice Nakia whispering to Harley. Natasha buys a new plant and leaves. When they leave to go home that night, Harley asks. “So, Dad, was that your new girlfriend?”

Sputtering, Tony gives Harley a look. “I’m sorry. What?”

“You come home happier some days. I just figured you met someone. Is it she?” When Tony doesn’t answer, Harley crows. “You like her!” Tony can’t even deny it. He does like her… or what he knows of her.

It is about two months and seven days ~~who’s counting~~ before Natasha comes back. She’s in a much better mood than she had been the last two times she had come in. She talks and talks to him about her plant. The little guy is just flourishing. “I named him Herman.” She confides in Tony. “Because he just seemed like a Herman to me. I didn’t name my second one yet; she’s going to have to just tell me her name when she’s ready. Clint’s plants all have names too, but some of them should not be said out loud anywhere. Not sure why he chooses to traumatize the poor things.”

Tony laughs. He doesn’t doubt it. Natasha sits on the stool by the counter, making small talk. “Do you have any plans tonight?” Tony blurts out. His heart sinks when she looks uncomfortable. “If you don’t have plans but you don’t want to go with me, feel free to say that. I’ll understand.”

“It’s not that I dislike you or anything, but aren’t you… married?” She hedges.

_She thought I was married?_ “On, no, I’m not married anymore. She passed away about five years ago.” Tony assures Natasha.

“Aw, my condolences.” Natasha frowns. “I’m sorry to make you seem like a cheater.”

“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t even realize that you would have even thought anything.” Tony pats the counter. “If you are interested, I was thinking about going out for drinks tonight. What do you think?”

“I think that’s a good idea. How long do you need?” Natasha stands up off the stool.

Tony looks back at Nakia, who gives him a thumbs up. She shoos him to the door. “I guess I can go now.” Tony grins.

Hand in hand, they walk towards the bar.


End file.
